Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-01-07
DEATH IN BLAZING CARS.


THE CHICAGO LIMITED EXPRESS
TRAIN WI NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
CAUGHT IL THE DEBRIS AND
SLOWLY ROASTED ALiVE-TIlE
TOTAL LOSS or LIFE NOT YET
KNOWN.
Special The Baltimore American
TOLEDD }, ONO. January l.-The
limited express on the Baltimore
and OHIO Railroad which left Balti.
more a. nine o'clock yesterday
morning and Washington an honr
later, cDllded with a freight train
at 2;lO this morning, one mile west
Of Republic, and sixteen miles
west of Chicago Junction, and
caused a terrible wreck and loss Of
lite. The passenger train consisted
on two sleepers-one from Balii-
more and one from Pittsburgh
smoker, a baggage car, and ex-
press and mail car. There were
about fifteen persons in the Baltl.
mere sleeper, all Of whom escaped
in Jury, 40 far as known.
All of the persons killed are sup
TiOsed to have been IN the smoker,
che occupants OF which were most
" immigrants. There were twelve
or fifteen persons in the smoker.
Three escaped alive. Nine lives
are reported lost and SIX persons
injured. The accident occurred on
a single track. misunderstanding
of orders was the cause. There
were sixty five passengers on the
express train. The smoking car
took fire Immediately after the
crash, an d the imprisoned passen-
gers held in torture by the wrecked
car were most OF them slowly roast
ed to dea tn. All the mail and ex.
press ma tier was destroyed. The
express never stops at small sta.
tons, an 4 hence did not at Re
public, but went flying by on a
level era de at the rate of over fifty
miles an hour. Freight train NO.
20 was C, oming eastward at the rate
of about twenty-five miles an hour
and was expected to make a siding
at Rel ublic. The locomotives
came together with frlghtiul
crash, a nd both were totally de-
mOlishe d. Burning Goals from the
furnace 5 flew over the cars. The
shock of the collision was felt at
Republic, a mile away. The dying
and wounded were taken to Re-
public. The horror Of the situation
was Increased by the intense cold,
the temperature being below zero
and the ground covered with snow.
The Baltimore and Ohio officials
quic KY had doctors and other re-
lief at the scene. When the pass.
engers in the sleepers had recover
ed from the fearful shock Of the
collision they rushed out in the
snow and tried TO save the poor
people in the smoker.
TORTURED TO DEATH.
It was an awful scene. Women
whose husbands, brothers or friends
had LETT them to enjoy a smoke but
an hour or so before. stood about
the blazing car, filling the air with
their screams for help. They knew
their beloved ones were being
burned alive, and some of the dy.
ing men could be seen writhlng IN
agony, their arms or legs being
pinioned 10y timbeIS of the wrecked
car. One man begged piteonsly
for some one to shoot him through
the car window. His legs were
roasting, and finally his horrible
suiTerings were ended in uncOn.
scionsness as ne sank back in the
blazing wreck 1t is reported that
sey eral OF the bodies were burned
beyond recognition.
Those saved from the wreck re-
naming in Republic were a mother
with three little ones, hardly out
Of their swaddling clothes, the
husband and father, with two sons,
having been devourcd by the
flames of the burning cars. In
some way that even the mother
was unable TO relate, she got out OF
the car in which She had been
travelling and, wandering away
from the burning train, carrying
her two Youngest children in her
arms. entered the first house IN
which she found light.
SIZE WAS ALMOST CRAzED,
and with difficulty 1t was ascer-
tanned that her name was Mrs.
Mary Postlethwaitc. The family
were on their way to Missouri, and
expected to find home in Chilli |
cothe, in that state. They had |
been living near the town of Bolton,
Wetzel county, w. Va. Her hus.
band, William Postethwalte, was
fifty eight years Of age, and the |
sons killed with him were aged |
sixteen and eleven.
The agents of the Baltimore and |
Ohio endeavored to take care Of |
the mother and children bv send
ing them to Chicago Junction,
where the company has a hotel
On advice, however, of her friends, |
who were telegraphed, she con.
scented to remain in Republic until |
she should hear from her son who
renamed in West Virginia. It
was a pitiful sight to see the poor
woman, now breaking forth in the
wailing tones Of her awful grief,
and then to hear her little boy, not
over four years Of agc.endeavoring
to comfort her with the words:
"Oh, mama, don't cry: don't
cry, mama, III get papa realizing
the terrible grief of his anguish
stricken and desOlatc mother.
Postlethwaitc had on his person
$500 in money, draft for $500,
government check for SIS, and
note of $3.50, besides tickets and
money for immediate use. With
one awful stroke all that the wo.
man had in the world-of support
and prOperty--was swept away,
and she left with her fathcrless
children among strangers. At the
Mansion House in Republic was
found another one who had refused
to be moved from the country. His
name was Smith. He was injured
but very little, but says he does
not care to repeat his eXpcricnce.-